by Xinhua writer Shi Xiaomeng
BEIJING, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Washington's irresponsible decision to suspend funding for the World Health Organization (WHO) seems to have rubbed salt in the already wounded partnership with its traditional allies at a time when the global combat against the COVID-19 pandemic has entered a critical stage.
Thursday's Group of Seven (G7) tele-summit ended without a joint statement. The bloc's European members voiced their backing for the WHO, and called for stronger international cooperation to contain the outbreak.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the virtual conference that the crisis can only be tackled with a strong and coordinated international response while expressing her full support for the world health body.
The transatlantic alliance was already in bad shape before the sudden outbreak of the pandemic. Since the current U.S. administration came to power, the U.S.-Europe bond has suffered a series of blows over the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)'s defense expenditures, trade conflicts, the Iran nuclear deal and the refugee crisis, among others.
In the eyes of some Washington decision-makers, their allies in Europe are more of a burden than an asset. As for the Europeans, they have been trying to handle frustration after frustration in the face of a capricious White House. Donald Tusk, former president of the European Union Council, once famously sighed "With friends like that, who needs enemies?"
During Europe's arduous battle against the deadly pandemic, Washington has hardly been helpful. According to earlier media reports, Germany has accused the United States of hijacking some of its urgently needed medical supplies like face masks and ventilators. Andreas Geisel, the interior minister for Berlin state, even called Washington a modern pirate.
Undoubtedly, Washington's fund-freeze move will undermine the very international body that serves as the backbone in coordinating the world's pandemic containment efforts.
Without a fully functioning WHO, Europe's drive to end the outbreak will only become much harder as the WHO's European regional director Hans Kluge warned on Thursday "the storm clouds of this pandemic still hang heavily over the European region."
Irish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Coveney tweeted: "This is indefensible decision in midst of global pandemic. So many vulnerable populations rely on (the) WHO -- deliberately undermining funding & trust now is shocking. Now is a time for global leadership & unity to save lives, not division and blame!"
As the confirmed COVID-19 infections have surpassed 2 million with the death toll topping 144,000, it is even more imperative for countries around the world to work together as closely as possible.
Clearly, the world's sole superpower has set a bad example by acting self-centered during a global public health crisis. For European countries, perhaps the pandemic offers another chance to reconfirm the true color of their ally on the other side of the Atlantic. Enditem
